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Over the next several newsletters we plan on highlighting a Strengthening Families Protective Factor that support families to stay strong and prevent child abuse and neglect. For more information, see the Protective Factors brief on our website, or visit the Center for the Study of Social Policy website.
This month we are going to focus on Concrete Supports as a protective factor.
Concrete Supports means in times of need, families have access to whatever they need to handle the challenges they face, and to be successful. By helping families find and access the help they need, it can lessen parental stress and through that, lessen the risk of possible maltreatment.
Supports can come in many forms. Food to help alleviate the grocery bill. A monthly stipend to help with rising costs everywhere. It can be help finding housing or healthcare, education or counseling.
This past year 23 home visiting programs partnered up with six diaper banks across Washington State worked to directly support families with basic needs and concrete goods.
This work provided a lifeline for families, while fostering relationships and building resilience and support.
Asking for help can be hard though. No matter what your situation, it may feel hard to reach out and put yourself in a vulnerable situation by asking for help.
The fact remains though, that everyone needs supports once in a while. Think of your day as a series of balls that you are juggling. Each day you have a set number of balls that you keep in the air. Then, throughout the day, more and more surprise balls get thrown into your hands. A sick kid, a broken-down car, childcare mix ups or unexpected bill. Any one of these can feel daunting, but all in one day can feel like a breaking point. Knowing where to find a solution to each of these problems so that the stress doesn’t overwhelm you in the moment can help maintain calmness in times of crises.
Think about it: Think about a time when someone helped you connect with something you needed before a crisis or problem occurred? Who was there for you? Was it family? Friends? A teacher? A crisis line? Who else helped you address some of these needs?
 The Strengthening Families Washington (SFWA) program at the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is celebrating Parent Recognition Month. DCYF, along with Seattle’s Child magazine, will honor extraordinary parents, caregivers, guardians, and community members through the 2024 Unsung Heroes campaign.
The Unsung Hero awards shines a light on the hard work of Washington state parents, primary caregivers or guardians who demonstrate tremendous leadership and compassion for their family and community. Their work helps to shape communities and influence programs and policies that impact them.
In an effort to acknowledge the powerful work and inspiration parents and primary caregivers have every day on their families and communities, February has been proclaimed Parent Recognition Month.
Each year, SFWA recognizes 28 or 29 (one for each day in the month of February) parents and caregivers in Washington for their demonstration of the protective factors known to reduce child abuse and neglect.
The Protective Factors research has found that these five Protective Factors reduce stress and promote the well-being of ALL families. Everyone has stress, but when families increase Protective Factors, they build and draw on natural support networks within their families and communities.
PARENTAL RESILIENCE: I can overcome hard times.
CONCRETE SUPPORTS IN TIMES OF NEED: I know where to turn for help.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE OF CHILDREN: I know how to help my children talk about their feelings.
SOCIAL CONNECTIONS: I have people who know and support me.
KNOWLEDGE OF PARENTING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT: I know where to go to find out about parenting skills and my child’s developmental growth.
Since 2011, with your help, we have honored 337 parents and caregivers in Washington for the roles they have taken with their families, schools and communities. They have been recognized because they have shown strength, courage and empathy in their communities. Parents and caregivers around Washington State are supporting their children, families, and communities in exceptional ways and we want to show our appreciation. Please help us in honoring 29 more in February 2024 by nominating a parent/primary caregiver/guardian for the Unsung Hero award. The nomination form is available in three languages (English, Spanish and Somali). A parent panel will select one honoree for each day in February and all honorees (including their family or supporters) and their nominators will be invited to an in-person celebratory dinner event in Olympia.
All nominations must be submitted by January 5, 2024. The nominations can be emailed to strengtheningfamilies@dcyf.wa.gov.
My name is Caitlyn Ishikawa and I'm so excited to be a part of the SFWA team! I have been with DCYF in the Adoption Support unit for the past four years. Prior to that, I was the Family Community Coordinator for a local program. While I have loved my time and learned SO much in adoption support, I can't explain how happy I am I be back on the prevention side of things. This is such important work and it’s amazing to be surrounded by those who feel the same!
Outside of work, I spend my time with my husband and our two kiddos, Elliott (4) and Bennett (2). We also have a senior dog who I still consider my puppy. My husband and I are from Hawaii and try to go back as often as possible to unleash our crazy kids on family share all the wonderful experiences with them. My favorite pastime used to be baking... but as a mom to two littles, it's now napping.
The FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) is seeking nominations for parents with expertise or experience in CBCAP priority areas to serve on the FRIENDS Parent Advisory Council (PAC). Parents may self-nominate or be recommended by a CBCAP State Lead Agency or local CBCAP-funded program. Nominations will be open from October 1 – October 31, 2023.
Members of the FRIENDS PAC share their experience and expertise in parent leadership through their active participation in FRIENDS workgroups and the annual CBCAP Grantee Meeting. They assist in the development/review of FRIENDS written materials, produce a parent/practitioner newsletter, and provide the FRIENDS staff with consultation and advice related to parent leadership.
For more information on the requirements of this position, please see the FRIENDS website.
Nomination forms are available on the FRIENDS website FRIENDS PAC Call for Nominations | Friends NRC and are due October 31, 2023.
Completed applications include: 1 Parent Nomination form per nominee (required) and 1 Agency Reference / Nomination form (if applicable).
Those needing an extension to the nomination deadline should express their interest in writing to MaryJo Alimena Caruso at mjcaruso@friendsnrc.org prior to October 31, 2023.
Interested parties should contact MaryJo Alimena Caruso at mjcaruso@friendsnrc.org or call 724.591.5448 with any questions or to request a nomination form if it is not forwarded with this information. For more information about the FRIENDS NC for CBCAP www.friendsnrc.org
Join the PEACE NW as they host an interactive 2-day workshop on assistive technology featuring staff with the Washington Assistive Technology Act Program (WATAP) on Nov 2 and 3. The workshop will include a broad overview of assistive technology that may benefit individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including devices and apps that support self-care, including task management, and how smart home and 3D printed devices can also contribute to living independently and safely. There will also be an overview of WATAP’s resources and services that help in decision making and that include some alternative ways for getting assistive technology.
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Day one will be a presentation and discussion session followed by the opportunity to try some devices and talk with assistive technology specialists.
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Day two will allow for individuals and families to sign up for a one-on-one session to explore more specific assistive technology options and ideas with WATAP specialists- the number of sessions will be limited, so sign up early.
Register for this event here
For more info contact Mona Fuerstenau Monaf@peacenw.org
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15-Oct. 15 in the United States each year. This tradition began in 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson first issued a proclamation to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Week. Later, Congress passed a bill to extend the celebration to last an entire month, which was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, and National Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated every year since 1989.
The dates for Hispanic Heritage Month were chosen to coincide with the Independence Day celebrations of many Latin American nations — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua — that declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821.
For more reading, video and audio resources, events and exhibitions and educator resources:
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Please join us for the Virtual Home Visitor Training Series with presenters from a wonderful team of experienced and wise home visitors and WSCADV staff!
The Domestic Violence Assessment and Response training is followed by the Safety Planning with Families training. Please register for each event you wish to attend.
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DV Assessment and Response
Jan. 30, 2024
Jan. 31, 2024
10- 11:30 a.m. both days
Register here.
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Safety Planning with Families
Feb. 9, 2023
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
(break from 12-1 p.m.)
Register here.
Additional trainings will continue throughout the fiscal year and we will continue to post registration links as we get closer to events.
Crisis childcare
I’m a single mother to a child with special needs and I have almost no support system. Although we were struggling, the one bright spot I had was the crisis nursery being able to take my son for a few hours so I could get a break to catch up on sleep or go to a medical appointment. It was one of the only supports I had during that time and I don’t know how we would have survived without it.
Like this story? Share your own!
We hope to continue to build the story collection and make sense of the experience across Washington during the next year of Strengthen Families Locally. Please share a story today to center the lived experiences of families in Washington State:
Flyer | FAQ for collecting stories
Events
Improving Our Response to Families Experiencing Domestic Violence
October 26, 2023, 02:00 PM, EDT This Digital Dialogue focuses on understanding the challenges child welfare systems face in effectively responding to families experiencing domestic violence and ideas for reform that enhance children's safety, stability, well-being, and healing in connection with their families and communities. Learn from two survivors and an attorney who has worked to support multiple families who experienced child welfare interventions related to domestic violence histories. Through this engaging discussion, attendees will gain concrete action steps that can be implemented to improve child welfare systems' responses to families experiencing domestic violence.
Register here.
DCYF News
Prevention Dashboard: OIAA is delighted to announce the inaugural version of DCYF’s Prevention Data Dashboard, designed to support the agency’s child maltreatment prevention efforts. You can view the data dashboard on our website: https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/practice/oiaa/reports/prevention-dashboard.
As part of the agency’s Strengthen Families Locally community-based prevention initiative, OIAA has provided the local communities with aggregate descriptive data they requested about characteristics and trends of children and families involved in the state’s child welfare system, to help inform their local prevention planning efforts. Here we’ve expanded the data to include all counties in the state.
The Prevention Data Dashboard contains annual data on age distribution, counts, rates, trends over time, and race/ethnicity for children entering out-of-home care. These dashboards also include descriptive data on children in Child Protective Services (CPS) intakes – rates of intakes screened-in for a CPS response, as well as the types of referents.
OIAA expects to update these dashboards annually. In addition, we will develop additional dashboards to support other related DCYF prevention efforts. Your questions, comments, and suggested improvements are appreciated and should be sent to oiaa@dcyf.wa.gov. Please share this dashboard with anyone (inside or outside the agency) you believe would like to explore these data.
If you missed our webinars on the SFL Dashboards you can view a recording here. Passcode @x1y3UyR.
Save-the-Date Nov. 1 - 2, ICYF 2023 Conference: Save-the-date for the 4th annual Indigenous Children, Youth & Families (ICYF) Conference on Nov. 1-2, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year's theme is Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Future: Healing through Native Traditions and Culture.
The two-day, virtual conference supports workers and the community with information about practice and policy. Caregivers, judicial personnel, social workers, and tribal workers are welcome to attend.
Register for this free, virtual event by visiting www.dcyf.wa.gov/ICYF-2023.
The full conference program with a list of presenters will be shared in the coming weeks.
Racial Equity Resources
#IAmNotACostume Campaign
Laurier Students' Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG)'s #IAmNotACostume campaign aims to draw awareness to the problematic nature of some Halloween costumes. We know that most folks do not pick out a costume with the intention of being racist or transphobic. But regardless of intentions, appropriative costumes still perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to the continuation of the violence and aggression towards marginalized folks.
Gain tips and insight about costumes and cultural appropriation:
- Check out of a list of costumes to avoid (unless they connect with your own experience or identity!)
- How to respond if you've appropriated in the past
- How to respond if you're witnessing appropriation of your culture/identity
- Get tips on hosting an equitable Halloween party
- Explore other resources
#IAmNotACostume
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